Statham artist with flair for color and cowboy ways wins award at OCAF show

Amy Watts is an artist whose painting “I’ll Fly Away” was inspired by an old hymnal by the same name.

The acrylic piece – with a gallery of colors – won the People’s Choice Award at the 2017 Members Exhibit now showing at the Oconee Cultural Arts Center in Watkinsville. The exhibit is on display through July
7.

“My grandma and my husband’s grandma both loved horses, especially James’ grandmother. She rode to the end of her life,” said Watts, a Statham resident who has called Georgia home since
1982.

“I thought about an older woman when her life is over and, in that moment, she is riding, and her husband is waiting on her in heaven along with her horses and her dog,” she said about the idea for the painting.

“I had a spiritual inspiration,” she said.

Watts, who grew up in Nebraska, began her career as a professional artist in 2011.

She became a member of OCAF to meet local artists.

“I’m a western artist. I prefer to do cowboy-cowgirl type stuff, so I started doing shows in Santa Fe, Arizona, Texas and Montana,” she said.

“I did well out there, but I felt I should participate locally as well to get involved in the arts community here. I joined OCAF and I participate in the Lyndon House (in Athens),” she said.

Growing up in Nebraska, Watts learned the ropes on dealing with livestock.

“I have horses and cows, and I’ve always trained horses,” she said.

Watts said her husband, who is from New Mexico, pushed her to concentrate on her painting.

“I’ve always painted Western history, like famous Western people from the past,” she said.

“We visited his family in New Mexico and he took me to Santa Fe,” she said, adding she was amazed during this visit at the number of artists involved in western artwork.

“The first gallery I went to asked if I wanted to show my work, so I got a good start and met a lot of people,” she said.

And it’s not the first time the public has cast their votes for Watts during OCAF’s Member’s
Exhibit.

“I have participated maybe three times (in Members Exhibition) and a few years back, maybe 2012, I won the People’s Choice,” she said.

But back then, her parents, her sisters and their children all attended the show, so she felt she had a large family vote.

“I figured I won because of my family,” she said with a chuckle.

But this time, it was only her and her husband.

“I was pleased and honored to be picked,” the horse-riding artist said.